Posted on 01/18/2016 12:36:37 PM PST by Keyvan Salami
The capture of American sailors in Persian Gulf waters by Iran should have provided the regime in Tehran a desperately needed opportunity to flex its muscles. However, the entire incident ended in the utmost humiliation for the regime. The times have changed, and Iran can no longer take on such adventures, such as the capture of over a dozen British sailors and hold them for long periods. Iran has suffered strategic defeats in many different aspects, from the nuclear dossier, to Syria , Yemen , Iraq .While Iran may do its best in saber-rattling, a small serious gesture reminds this regime of this position in the region's entire equation. The ayatollahs sitting on the throne are weak, and this must be exploited.
Prior to the release of American sailors various Iranian officials had demanded apologies from the U.S. for their boats entering Iranian waters, while others went on to claim this apology had already been delivered by Washington. However, both the State Department and Iran's Foreign Ministry acknowledged there were no apologies and the entire matter ended rather quickly.
Iran first attempted to take advantage of the entire imbroglio to flex its muscles to lift the spirits of its less than 3% supporters amongst the Iranian people. Scholars and government officials across the globe have to understand this characteristic of this regime: it needs to feeds its domestic base or the mere 3% will crumble.
The question now is why did Tehran release these U.S. sailors so swiftly? Why did Iran prolong the ordeal, as seen in previous cases, to continue boasting and airing footages in its state-run TV programs?
This question has a military and tactical aspect. Following this incident the U.S. Navy took immediate action and began surrounding the Farsi Island in the Persian Gulf where Iran was holding the sailors. Such measures made Tehran understand that the Americans were furious and they meant business in demanding the return of their sailors.
Far more important than the tactical aspect is the strategic depth of this issue and how terrified Iran is of this reality. The setbacks Iran has suffered in its proxy wars throughout entire Middle East, from Syria to Yemen where a Saudi-led Arab coalition is pounding Tehran-backed Houthi proxies. And of course, in Iraq where Iran has lost it’s strategically important puppet of former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki. To add insult to Iran's injuries, Iran was forced to defuse its quest for nuclear weapons as it gave into an agreement with the international community to curb its nuclear program. This was considered a red line for Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei. However, circumstances have changed, and no one in the Middle East no longer has any respect for the paper-tiger nature of this regime.
A state-run media outlet in Iran rightly said the regime has entered a new era of strategic conservatism. This is completely true, and in the a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/16/world/middleeast/tensions-in-iran-after-nuclear-deal-grow-in-hostility.html"> Saudi Embassy rampage Tehran came to learn to some extent a very important lesson: the pre-nuclear pact era is over, and Iran is no longer considered a major stakeholder in regional or international affairs. Countries such as Sudan, Somalia and Bahrain to name a few have severed relations, many others downgraded their ties, and he Arab League and the international community strongly condemned the entire issue.
The order to release the American sailors in such a hasty manner had to come from the top in Iranian leadership. When Tehran came to understand it could no longer use this issue as a propaganda piece for its domestic buyers and proxies abroad, Khamenei quickly called for their release to prevent any unwanted consequences. Senior Revolutionary Guards emphasized they will take action on this issue based on orders from high command. The sailors were only held in the Farsi Island and never dragged to Tehran's notorious Evin Prison as the British sailors were.
Major American personalities have raised deep anger about the Obama administration's approach in this whole fiasco, suggesting intense disciplinary actions. The U.S. State Department raised the possibility of the entire incident by Iran being in breach of the Geneva Conventions. Members of Congress are also enraged about the female American sailor being forced to wear a headscarf while held in custody. These reactions are exactly what Iran is terrified about.
Iran engulfed in various crises from its nuclear dossier, to Syria, Yemen, Iraq and … The entire episode about taking captive 10 American sailors and Tehran being forced to hand them back in 24 hours shows how weak this regime has become. A new balance of power is in place across the Middle East, and Iran is extremely worried about the fact that it has entered a "new strategic era" as described by its own state-run media. This provide the international community to exploit this weakness and hold Iran accountable for all its wrongdoings.
Follow Keyvan Salami at @salamikeyvan
The answer is....they no longer need to. Chairman O tries hard to satisfiy their every whim.
Is Mullah Obozo trying make Madam Secretary, Joan Kerry, look like a heroine re the release of our 10 sailors, the long time American prisoners of Iran and the stupid nuclear agreement with Iran.
Then, will Mullah Obama, pull the plug on Hilliarily with the FBI investigation and make Kerry and Biden the new rat heroes/candidates for Potus and VP?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3384852/posts?page=14#14
The mystery to me is:
1. How did both radios die?
2. How did GPS in both boats die?
3. Does the USN no long equip boats with rope?
Giving Obama cover to give away whatever we have left to give.
Iran released them because their propaganda value was used up. Keeping them longer would have made the American public angrier and possibly demanding a response. This just humiliates the U.S. which is reward in its self to them, or it’s possible that what one congressman stated is true, that Obama called for the Iranians to “assist” the boats.
“Following this incident the U.S. Navy took immediate action and began surrounding the Farsi Island ‘
Source?
#bringbackourboats
“1. How did both radios die?
2. How did GPS in both boats die?’
They didn’t. As Wesley Snipes would say “I was setup” Ash Carter and John Francois set them up by dropping a dime on the two boats so the Iranian knew where to find them.
To show the Libyans how it’s done.
Demanding a response doesn’t go far nowadays.
I’m convinced this was a “delivery” mission. That is the only explanation that answers a lot of the questions regarding this incident. The Magic Negro needed to get something to the Iranian regime (intel, info, hardware, blueprints, nuclear secrets, whatever his buddies needed) The whole capture thing was strictly for show and the sailors weren’t even aware of their true mission or cargo. Once they were captured and their boats taken to port the “cargo” could be delivered without the sailors knowing about it. They were then returned to their boats and pointed towards home. As bizarre as it sounds it makes more sense than the “official” story which is chock full of holes.
Sorry but in that part of the world smuggling is way easier and a lot less complicated without all the drama. This had way too many parties involved to be a delivery. Refer to Travis McGee’s posts regarding this subject.
“Regime?” You mean the obama regime?
Where’s your vanity tag, noob?
Thinking of my own time leading small boat detachments, why were they there initially? Was no one paying attention? They now even have GPS. There were two boats, so one could have towed the other. Back in my Old Navy even if I was leading LCM-8 landing craft without radar, I would have had a chart and noted danger bearings. Maybe they should have apologized, but I doubt it?
Could it be the Iranians have a different definition of territorial waters to which they want this Administration and our Navy to subscribe? That seems more likely.
Finally how could the Navy lose track of these boats? Why were the crews not initiating contact? During an amphibious exercise my wave of assault boats were swallowed by a fog. When I saw that fog coming I made sure the flag ship could vector us back to our LPD.
This event with directs my memory back to the Cold War involving China as well as the Soviet Union. Navy ships stationed in Yokosuka Japan â€patrolled†through the Taiwan Straits as they transited to Vietnam. Our captain told us that if any Chinese ship tried to intercept us we would fight. The prospect was not that exciting because our heaviest armament were three dual 3in50cal anti-aircraft mounts. But the Pueblo incident was on everyone’s mind and that was going to be our response.
As far as I am concerned everything we have been told by this Administration and their Navy acolytes is a lie.
This is a link to the best article I have found so far about the boats. LINK:http://www.boblonsberry.com/writings.cfm?go=4
If we ever hear the truth about what had happened, the reality may sound a bit like this article published twenty years after the Pueblo was seized. If my memory serves me right, the article finally provoked the Defense Department to allow the Pueblo crew to receive the Prisoner of War medal.
LINK: http://www.usni.org/document/bucher-lloyd-m-1989-115-2-1032pdf?magazine_article=66897
2 boats 50+ miles off course?
1 loses both engines and can't be towed by the other? That's one reason they operate in pairs.
They radio their command and instead of sending help they send the sitrep up the chain to the White Hut where the SOS and SOD, Kerry and Carter call the Iranians to ask for help?
Then the sailors allow themselves to be captured without defending themselves and their commander disregards the Code Of Conduct to make a groveling apology like a dhimmi?
This was scripted, start to finish or incompetence at every level so great that it would embarrass a Cub Scout.
Jiyza payoff coverup.
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